A Tale Between Two Cities
by AzaleaBrickshire
Summary: A compilation of one-shots about Haymitch and Effie. You can give me a prompt if you want. ;D
1. Hey Princess

Summary: A call full of so many feels. He just wants her to go home. To go back to him. This is just ... Ugh! This is just so heartbreaking for me, guys.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. If you think there's a reference in there, then, it isn't mine.

_I got this idea somewhere. It's angsty. I wrote this a 3 months ago when I was trying to study for my Physics quiz then "BOOM!" this happened. I think I barely passed on the said quiz but I managed to get my grades up. Anyway, enjoy the angst guys! ;D_

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**Hey Princess**

"Hey, Princess" she smiled and pressed the phone tightly on her ear. She secretly loved it that he calls her that especially with that tone of his voice. He sounded like he just woke up. She imagined him pressing his lips to hers just like he always did in the morning.

"Haymitch," she uttered like she was out of breath. She hadn't slept for weeks now.

"It's been awhile," _oh that's a lie_, she thought.

"It's been way too long," she countered. A part of her hates him that it had been _way_ too long. Yes, she was tying some knots in the Capitol about the Games but she didn't expect that it was going to be long enough to –

She rolled on the bed facing his side. There were so many thoughts running inside her head. Maybe if she didn't go to the Capitol, they would be together now. She just wanted to see him again and run her hand in his dirty blond hair.

"Did ya' miss me?" She knew it was meant to be a tease but she heard him sigh. She nodded though he can't see her.

"So much," she murmured. _I miss you so _damn_ much that it hurts,_ she thought. She bit her lip and gripped the sheets, forcing herself not to cry but –

"I miss you, Eff." That broke the dam. His voice was pure of longing. She didn't know she would hear that kind of voice from him.

She felt her pillows were really wet but she didn't care. She was just silently crying as she ran her fingers on his cold side of the bed.

"Oh no, don't you dare cry for me, sweetheart." _Damn him for guessing that!_ "Hell, I think the geese would run away if you start crying loud."

She chuckled at him for his dry humor though tears didn't stop rolling down her cheeks.

"Just –" he sighed. "Come home, Eff. I'll stop drinking."

She rolled her eyes automatically. She always did that whenever he said that he'll stop drinking.

"Stop rolling your eyes. I can see you from here. Well, at least I'll _try_ to stop okay. It's not easy 'ya know?"

"Don't be too hard on yourself, 'Mitch" she hated herself. She really _really_ hated herself because this was all her fault. If she just stayed in Twelve, this would never happen.

"Stay alive." He always said that.

Now, she hated those words. "_Noooooo,"_ was her silent plea. How could she stay alive when –

"I'll be waiting for you at home."

"I don't want to live if you're not home, Haymitch." Her lips were trembling. The phone fell from her lithe shaky hands. She curved herself into ball, knowing that this call was going to end. She was grasping her legs tightly with her arms. Her eyes were red and puffy. Her world was still breaking apart.

"Bye, sweetheart." It ended. It. Just. Ended. Just like that. The voicemail ended just like that.

She cannot _freaking_ forgive herself for not picking up her _damn _phone when he called. She forgot what she was doing back then but she was sure now that it wasn't important. If she knew that that phone call was going to be the last time that she would speak to him, she would answer it quickly and god, she would've even told him she loved him. So much. Too much, in fact because she felt like she was dead, just like him. It would've been a lie if she said that she didn't love him too much.

"Don't go," she muttered in a very weak voice. "Please, come back to me, Haymitch" she pleaded though she knew those words were a lost cause. She sniffed. The bed sheets didn't smell like him anymore. The aroma of alcohol didn't envelope the house. She indeed scared off the geese when she cried so hard that night when she came from the Capitol and found out what happened to him.

"Come home, Haymitch. I'm here now..." she begged. She just wanted to be with him but that wasn't an option anymore so...

_click_

"Hey Princess,"

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I posted this 3 months ago on Tumblr so some of you might read this already.. Please write me a review! Thanks! ;D

_.Elle._


	2. The Press Conference

She became a movie actress and promoted her new movie in Twelve.

Disclaimer: I don't own Hunger Games and even the two movie references involved.

_I woke up and daydreamed this. Kinda reminds me of Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts, actually._

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**The Press Conference**

The girl with the green scarf asked her, "Miss Trinket, is it true that you didn't dropped by at Victor's Village during your stay here in Twelve?"

She smiled even though the reporters had been aggravating her for asking personal questions for the past hour, "Well, I did see my victors – _my friends_ – while I was here."

Then, a man dressed like a cowboy raised his hand and asked a question. "You said you visited your friends, but" he scratched his chin and didn't look up from his notebook so they wouldn't see his face "my sources told me that you didn't stop by to see Haymitch Abernathy." The room fell silent. She knew that voice, that gruff but terribly sexy and sometimes soothing voice. His face was covered by the fedora hat but she knew that voice very well.

"Maybe I would if Mr. Abernathy was sober enough to talk to." She knew that they were threading shark infested waters if they kept this up. She knew how the people would think if this goes on.

"Well," he smiled smugly and met her eyes. "I'm sure as hell, he's sober now. Why don't you stay for another night to catch up?" He winked.

Everybody saw his face. He couldn't disguise anymore. The people were starting to whisper. _ Oh no, her manager would love this media attention,_ she thought, _that means more work and less free time_.

She cleared her throat, not knowing how to carefully handle this situation. Suddenly, she felt the room began to shrink and all she could see was that pair of Seam grey eyes daring her to stay.

She shrugged, "If you cleaned your house for once, I might even stay a little longer." She cannot believe she said that in a room full of people and cameras recording this press conference to show to the whole Panem.

He tipped his cowboy hat and nodded, "You can stay whenever you want. Welcome to Twelve, Princess."

The room became a loud chaos.

_Do you have a relationship, Miss Trinket? How long has been this going on? Did you start dating each other during the Games? Do you love her? Are you in love with him? Are we going to hear wedding bells soon? Did Katniss and Peeta know about this?_

The questions go on but she was just grinning and locked her crystal blue eyes at him as he made his way to her. The two ignored them and her manager was fuming and handling the situation.

He took her hand and whispered with his low voice in her ear, "Wanna get out of here, sweetheart?"

She looked at his eyes again, "Take me home, cowboy."

She moved to Twelve after that.

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_Dedicated to RonaldGarcia91_

_for always reviewing my posts _

_and because I hurt his feelings in the first chapter._

_.Elle._

_P.S. Sorry it's short!_


	3. Morning Madness

**Morning Madness**

He was drunker than he used to be. He was reeking in alcohol and the alcohol stain on his clothes just added another layer fetor around him. But despite of his state, he still managed to move his legs back to the penthouse with the aid of the walls for support. He wasn't aware that he broke a vase and stumbled on a lamp. His hands guided him in one of the doors of the penthouse and he didn't care which room that he opened. Besides, their tributes died yesterday.

He removed his clothes on auto-pilot once he got inside. His three piece suit was haphazardly thrown on the floor followed by his matching dress pants. He was left in his boxers and flopped uncaringly on the empty side of the bed. Unbeknownst to him, what he assumed was a mountain of pillows underneath the comforter was another human being instead.

-.

He felt the warm body beside him. His arm was wrapped around a slim torso. The hair that was tickling his chin smelled like strawberries, the most delicious fruit that he tasted in the Capitol. He pulled her on his chest and leaned in. His stubble grazed on the silky smooth skin on her shoulder. His hand traveled downwards on her hip and squeezed it a bit. He kissed the juncture between her neck and shoulders. He heard a throaty moan and her lithe smooth hand reached for his thigh that was just beside hers. The touch of the pads of her fingers left goose bumps on his skin. He playfully nipped _that_ spot again and he received a response that made him open his eyes.

"_Oh Haymitch," _her seductive throaty voice laced with her Capitol accent proved him that he wasn't having a dream and it wasn't with some random woman either. He was sure that the voice belonged to Euphemia Trinket.

He immediately opened his eyes to confirm his suspicion and removed himself from the comforting warmth of the said escort. He found her staring at him with her eyes unfocused and still sleep induced.

The instant loss of warmth enveloping her made her open her eyes. She quickly rolled out of bed at the sight of a man in front of her. "AHHHHHHH!" she screamed at the intruder. Her instinct made her throw the nearest object within reach at the man without even identifying him.

He cursed loudly as he was hit in the abdomen. "Why the hell are you screaming woman!" The screeching of her voice was bad and with his hangover, it was worse than he could ever imagine. It was like his ears were ringing as if a bombed was thrown within the perimeter of the room. His hands instantly protected his ears.

"Haymitch," she hissed as she finally woke up and stared at him pressing one of his hands on his ear while his other hand was reaching down.

He picked up the thing that she threw and incredulously questioned her sanity, "You threw an alarm clock at me?" His voice was slightly raised. He couldn't believe that she threw an alarm clock on him and it was too heavy for just an alarm clock.

"Well for what it's worth, I thought you were a stranger," she narrowed her eyes at him. She was a bit angry that she woke up like this. She was having some trouble sleeping whenever it was the Games season.

"A stranger, really?" he snorted. "A few minutes ago you were enjoying my company," he said smugly and winked.

"What?!" _No, that can't be. It was only a dream. Just a dream, right? Only a dream... right?_ she thought. Then, she looked at him... really looked at him. And there was nothing on him except for those blue cotton boxers that barely left anything to her imagination. And it also didn't help her situation that she only sleeps in her tiny nightgown that ended higher than the middle of her thighs and clings on every curve of her body.

His was supporting a smirk that used to bring the Capitol women on their knees during his younger years and now, that smirk was making her all gooey in the inside. His eyes glinted with amusement as he saw her flushing when he caught her _looking_ at him.

"I –" she stuttered and he never saw her get speechless for this long before. "Wha – We – No, no, no, no, no, no. That _cannot_ be," she pointed a finger at him. "We did _not _– " she closed her eyes and breathed deeply. She put her hands on her hips and tried to compose herself. She opened her eyes and calmly stated, "Tell me that what I think you're implying, _didn't_ happen, Haymitch. My sleeping pills aren't that good to make me forget things like that."

He completely ignored when she was trying to make sense of what had happened. He took in her appearance, her real natural appearance. Her hair was honey blonde curls that fell on her shoulders. She had a creamy white skin without any tan lines. Her eyes were bluer than before. He was simply mesmerized by her beauty and he was brought back to the world at the sound of his name rolling out from her lips. His lips just parted and imagined what it would feel like it he pressed his lips on hers.

"Haymitch," she hissed to get his attention but he just kept on staring at her. "We didn't, did we?" she can feel that her cheeks were burning and it was spreading down on her neck.

His grin grew wider, "Oh no, we didn't sweetheart but we will," he promised and before she could protest, he was climbing on top of the bed to reach her. He pulled her in by the waist and she fell on top of him.

She was biting her lip and looking at his Seam grey eyes. She couldn't believe that she could blush even more when she realized that she was straddling him.

He reached for the strand of her curls and tucked it in her ear, "You should stop wearing wigs and make – up, sweetheart. You look better this way," He can't believe that he just admitted that. That was highly unlike him.

Sudden horror flashed her face as she remembered that she didn't look decent enough. She was about to bolt away but he held her wrists that were pressed on his shoulders. "I look horrible. A lady can't –"

He rolled his eyes and cut her off, "I already told you that you look better this way, princess." He traced circling patterns on the inside of her wrists and it seemed to calm her down. "Besides, I don't want you to be a lady, I want you to be Effie."

She tried to stop herself from grinning but she couldn't. She was leaning down on him when the shrill noise of her alarm clock echoed throughout the room.

He groaned as he felt her move away to stop the wretched thing. He pulled her back by her hips but she didn't budge.

With a frown on her face, she informed him. "We need to go for the interview. Our tributes –" she was cut-off again when he rolled them so she was underneath him.

His face was mere inches away from hers. His voice dropped down a notch, "We'll have time later." He tried to convince her by kissing that sensitive spot between her neck and shoulder. He continued his way up her jaw and just before he kissed her lips, "If you want me to stop," he didn't go on anymore when _she_ crashed her lips on his.

-.

They were lying on the bed with their limbs entangled. They were both catching their breaths and cooling off after their morning _activities._ Layers of sweat were still covering their bodies.

She felt the random patterns that he was tracing on her arm while was half on top of him. She kept her head on his chest when she curiously asked him, "Haymitch, how did you get into my room?"

"Your room?" he looked around. "I thought this was mine," he said though that really didn't answer the question.

She pushed herself up and glared at him, "We've been awake for three hours and you didn't even notice –"

His face scrunched up, "Well, how could I notice anything when you're right in front of me –"

She gasped as she saw the numbers on her very durable alarm clock. "Oh my glittering buttons! The interview!"

-.

I wrote this because I was craving for something fluffy lately and I had tons of fun writing this! I hope you'll love this! Please leave a review!

_.Elle._


	4. The Punishment

Summary: This is how she became an Escort of Twelve. She was just punished to make the mentor fall in love with her.

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**The Punishment**

"I know what you did, Ms. Trinket." His elbows rested on top of the wooden table with his hands clasped loosely. His back was comfortably laid on the black leather chair. His eyes were pointed at the man who was tightly grasping her arm. "Release her," he said in a calm but authoritative voice.

The man did what he was told and pushed her forward so roughly that she fell on her hands and knees. She glared at him through the honey blonde curtain of her curls and gritted her teeth.

He sat still from his position while watching the man closed the door. When the door clicked shut, he commanded her. "Stand up, Ms. Trinket." And she did do what he said because she knew what would happen to her if she didn't.

She stood up with grace and poise, letting him know that she was still, indeed, a Capitol citizen despite the things that she knew because of her little act. "What did _you_ know, Mr. President?" she challenged. If she was about to die, then, she would die fighting.

"Ahh," he smirked, "Is that a fire I see inside a small little thing like you?" he mused. "Trinket," he let the word rolled on his tongue. He liked the sound of it. "A small thing of little value," he leaned forward and narrowed his eyes, "Perfect definition of you."

Her blood was boiling. She didn't like where this was going but she stayed frozen from where she stood.

"Hmm..." he scratched his chin and his fingers stayed there. He knew that there was a small spark building inside this young woman in front him and that had to be vanquished. He was intending to kill her but seeing her beautiful face and figure, he knew exactly where to put her.

"You will enter the Game school," her eyebrows creased. This was not the punishment that she expected. The Game school was for the elite and only a few where chosen every year. She didn't go there though she was qualified. She didn't go there because she really wanted to pursue Architecture. Hearing his, she knew that there was more to it.

He noted that she didn't seem to be fazed by it."You will enter the Escort program and you will apply to be the Escort of District 12."

She didn't understand the correlation of what she did to the punishment that she was receiving. It was well-known that nobody won from that District since Haymitch Abernathy, the Capitol bad boy. She thought that he was a clever good-looking man who always made a mess in his interviews but lately, he got a reputation of being a drunk. Working with a handsome drunk wouldn't be that bad, she thought.

"Your punishment is this," she narrowed her eyes, listening to every word that he said. "You," he pointed at her, "will make him fall in love with you." He shrugged as if that was very easy to do.

Her lips slightly parted. She absolutely didn't expect that. She heard rumors about the Capitol's punishments and they were bad, really bad. Some people went missing and then sometimes, they became Avoxes as a reminder to the citizens about the Government's power.

"Why?" she managed to choked out.

"Let's just say that I need to put a leash on him." His mouth turned bitter at the thought of the young man who outsmarted them.

Her voice was cold. She felt like she was treading shark infested waters. "What if _I_ fell in love with him?" Somehow, she thought that, that was her punishment... to fell in love with this victor.

"Oh you will," He grinned. "I'm counting on that, _Effie_." Her face fell but before she could say another word, the man grasped her arm again and led her to the door. But before the door closed, "There will be consequences if you will not do what I said." The last thing that she saw was him burning a picture... her family picture in their mantelpiece.

-.

She woke up on her bed with him beside her, fully clothed. This was the first time that they slept on the same bed and they just _slept_ with him holding her as she cried over the very sweet female tribute who almost won the Games by hiding in a cave.

She combed the dirty blonde strands of his hair with her fingers and admired his face. The once handsome, clean-shaven face of a young man was now owned by a ruggedly-looking victor with a two-day stubble and eyes deep with sorrow.

Her hand fell on his cheek and her thumb rubbed his rough stubble. She kissed his lips, longer than just a peck on the lips but more innocent than their personal definition of kissing. As she watched him flutter his eyes open, there was a weird feeling of warmth in the pit of her stomach that she couldn't decipher.

He was blinking and saw her face that was only an inch beside him. He tighten his hold of her waist and smiled, "Good morning, sweetheart."

She felt the warmth in her cheeks. She must be blushing. The feeling of his arm around her made her insides twist. The sound of his gruff morning voice spread warmth in her whole being. She was beginning to wonder if she was starting to fall for him but she knew that she couldn't let that happen. She knew that he can never love her. She tried her best to make him fall in love with her but in the end, it was the other way around. She was falling for him. She knew how broken he was. She knew that he wouldn't let himself love again.

She will always be in that area where he wanted her but can never love her while she was on the other side of not wanting him but still pathetically loving him.

She understood now what her punishment was. It hurt so _damn_ much to be with the one you love and not _be_ with him at the same time.

But the real punishment was that she didn't know that he was falling for her because he can't say it and do anything about it because Snow will hurt her or kill her, just to set him straight. He would rather let her think that their relationship was purely physical and nothing else so he can protect her.

It was a mad a risky idea but it worked. They were both miserable.

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Please leave review! :D

_.Elle._


	5. What You Do Best

**What You Do Best**

She doesn't know how to cope after the Rebellion.

Disclaimer: I still don't own these characters.

_A little drabble..._

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"Katniss hunts. Peeta bakes. You drink. What do I do now, Haymitch?" She glanced at her side to meet his eyes. He took a sip of his whiskey and said, "You do what you do best."

"I'm nothing but an Escort. Panem doesn't need one anymore."

He shook his head. "Nah, you're not an Escort, Eff. You never were and never will be." She looked at him sharply, waiting for an insult about her previous job.

To say that she was surprised was an understatement when these words came out from his lips, "You take care of us, sweetheart." He looked at her earnestly. He pointed her with his bottle, "That's what you do best."


End file.
